So I was wondering if anyone out there has tried using an oscillating saw to cut biscuits. I’ve heard of using a router, doing to full length groove and a few others but I was thinking that an oscillating saw might work better. Just a thought I was tossing around and wanted to know if anyone else had heard of/tried it.

-- If I can do it, you can too. Unless you can't. Then I win.

17 replies so far

Are there bits for the oscillating saw that are thick enough to do this in one cut? Also it has been my experience that oscillating saws do not remove sawdust very well, I assume this would be exacerbated when plunge cutting as in biscuit joints. You would have to jig for this somehow, probably much like a drilling jig. In theory it could be done but I think it will likely be a frustrating experience.

What are you making. I would put money on “if a biscuit can do it another joint type can do it better”. PS, if you are near Winston Salem I will sell you my biscuit jointer real cheap. I dislike biscuits in general. Its a porter cable.

I like biscuits, I dry them out in the oven then add glue into the slots the glue absorbs and the biscuit swells into the slot providing an excellent joint. I can’t figure why many don’t glue the slots and only use the biscuit for alignment.

I have a biscuit jointer and use it often. If I had to make them with a router, I probably wouldn’t bother because it’s not as convenient. A dedicated biscuit joiner has the appropriate depth stops and fence to make a variety of accurate cuts. Even if there was an accessory for an oscillating tool (and I have not seen one) it would probably cost as much as a good biscuit joiner.

Good luck.

-- Willie, Washington "If You Choose Not To Decide, You Still Have Made a Choice" - Rush

Thanks for all the input. I guess I’ll have to figure out another work around or just use dowels. They’re not as strong as biscuits but life happens. The wife is already unhappy with my tool budget between the woodworking and mechanic stuff so I’m tapped out on new tools for the foreseeable future.

Thanks for all the input. I guess I ll have to figure out another work around or just use dowels. They re not as strong as biscuits but life happens. The wife is already unhappy with my tool budget between the woodworking and mechanic stuff so I m tapped out on new tools for the foreseeable future.

If you are using a biscuit for alignment of a glue-up, or have some torque on some part of your project, it may help add some strength, but the wood glues are so good now you may be able to do just about as well without it.

I have both old Dewalt biscuit machine and the Festool Domino, find I really don’t use either that much.

Good luck

-- Randy "You are judged as much by the questions you ask as the answers you give..."

I’m going to be building a hope chest and a camel hump chest for the wife as well as a raised dog feeder for a couple of larger sized dogs. Most of the plans for hope chests and camel hump chests call for both dovetails and biscuits in various parts. Espically on the lid of the camel hump because I really don’t want the end grain showing. I’ll prolly just sub in dowles and do decorative brass pieces to cover the end on the outside.

I bought a tool from Harbor freight for around 40.00 with coupon that works great. I won’t use it much, but I’ve been using it today building a toy box for my Grandson. I’ve done about 40 cuts with it and had no problems at all. If it does go bad I’ve only lost 40.00. Probably won’t use it again but who knows. It appears to be a pretty good tool. I would definitely buy it again Instead of paying over 200.00 for a dewalt that would be seldom used.Gerald

The beauty of using a plate joiner or a slot cutter bit in the router is the ease of alignment of to two pieces to be joined with the biscuit. You’ll probably have alignment issues with an oscillating saw.

If your tool budget is limited and you already have a table saw go with the spline method.